In January 2025, The Villages Charter School in Florida inaugurated an Autism Center dedicated to educating students on the autism spectrum. Initially serving kindergarten through 5th grade, the center plans to expand its services up to 12th grade. This initiative, led by Lindsey Blaise, granddaughter of The Villages’ founder, addresses the educational needs of a growing special needs population in the community.
Despite this positive development, concerns persist regarding long-term housing solutions for adults with special needs. Advocates, including Mike Koss, have engaged with The Villages’ developers over the past six years to establish permanent housing for their adult children with special needs. However, recent communications indicate that the developers are not currently interested in pursuing such projects, citing pre-existing plans for their undeveloped properties.
This stance has disappointed families who envisioned a future for their adult children within The Villages community. While the Autism Center represents significant progress in educational support, the lack of commitment to long-term housing solutions remains a pressing concern for these families.
